DVD REVIEW: RINGSIDE WITH VADER

Whether it's Big Van Vader, Vader, or just Leon White, the name is synonymous
with hard-hitting matches against many of wrestling's biggest names.Now the
name is synonymous with a new series by
Kayfabe Commentaries entitled "Ringside."

Upon reading the background
of the DVD, I was intrigued. Vader and KC co-owner Sean Oliver discuss some of
Vader's most famous matches while actually watching the matches together.

I have high expectations when it comes to
Kayfabe Commentaries. They've done such a great job with each of their
shoot-style DVD releases that they consistently up the bar.

Popping in the DVD, it seemed as though this new style of shoot interview
wouldn't meet expectations because the audience is left out of the viewing
party. Vader and Sean sit at a table while watching a TV screen - a TV screen
that is out of view of those sitting at home.

"How am I supposed to follow this?" I asked myself.

Those familiar with
several recent
WWE DVDs will recall how some matches have new commentary provided by
an actual announcer and the wrestler being profiled. I assumed the situation
would be the same here, with Vader providing play-by-play for his own matches.

It wasn't long before I realized that's not really the point of "Ringside."

Rather than give a blow-by-blow description of the action, Vader gives a step
by step recollection of how the matches came to be, the backstage goings on of
the time, and some fantastic stories from both in and out of the ring. While
the in-ring action is mentioned from time to time, it's not a distraction and
it doesn't leave the viewer feeling left out.

Matches profiled:

Baby Bull vs. Bruiser Brody

AWA, May 1986

- How Vader broke into the business

- What it was like working for Verne and Greg
Gagne

- How the
AWA talent of that time went on to become successful in other
promotions

- Working against Brody and what influence Brody had on his career

Big Van Vader vs. Antonio
Inoki

Sumo Hall, December 1987

- Working in Japan

- Making his debut against
Inoki

- What liberties
Inoki gave him to help Vader get over in the match

- Drinking backstage with
Masa
Saito just before the match

Big Van Vader vs.
Shinya
Hashimoto

Tokyo Dome, April 1989

- How he compares
Hashimoto to other Japanese stars like the Great
Muta and
Masahiro
Chono

- Wrestling nearly an hour in three separate matches during this tournament
for the
IWGP championship

- How the Vader character got over in Japan

- How his headpiece was controlled

- What he thinks of his stiff working style compared to
Hashimoto's stiff working style

Big Van Vader vs. Stan Hansen

Tokyo Dome, February 1990

- Thoughts of having his nose broken before he even got in the ring

- Memories of shoving his eye back in the socket during the match

- His friendship with Hansen and how that was somewhat strained during and
after the match

- The surgeries he underwent after the match

Big Van Vader vs. Sting

WCW Great American Bash 92

- How he was brought into
WCW

- Thoughts on his first match with Sting and their in-ring chemistry

- How he compares Sting to other wrestlers he's worked against

- Comparing the southern wrestling crowd to that of Japan and the
AWA

- Road stories with Harley Race and how Race helped him behind the scenes

Big Van Vader & Joe Thurman & TA McCoy (handicap match)

WCW Worldwide, November 1992

- His memories of the night he broke Thurman's back

- What he thinks of the incident now

- Visiting Thurman in the hospital that night with Race

- What Thurman is doing now

Vader vs. Cactus Jack

Munich, Germany March 1994

- Memories of the night Cactus lost his ear

- Working for
WCW during the European tours

- First-hand account of the night Sid Vicious and
Arn Anderson got into the scissors fight

- His thoughts on Cactus' wrestling style and the two men's relationship

Big Van Vader vs. Shawn
Michaels

WWF Summer Slam 96

- His account of the backstage incident with Paul
Orndorff that led to him leaving
WCW

- How he was brought into the
WWF and his health at that time

- Thoughts on the Clique

- Shawn
Michaels attitude at the time

- Whether he was or wasn't supposed to get the belt

- What led to him leaving the
WWF and who made the decision

Big Van Vader vs.
Nobuhiko
Takada

Budokan Hall, August 1994

- How he was approached for the fight while working for
WCW

- Working a shoot style match

- His take on
Takada's career

- Whether he could have been a good
shootfighter

Those are just some of the highlights of what is a very entertaining and
enlightening release. But with
Kayfabe Commentaries, should we expect anything less? The DVD is
available online at
www.highspots.com

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